Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2014

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not etiologically related to active service, including as a result of in-service noise exposure. The weight of the competent and credible evidence does not support a finding of relationship between the Veteran's current tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be as likely as not related to his active service, including exposure to noise during service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and needs further examination to determine if the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities for VA purposes, and therefore denied service connection for these conditions. However, the Board found in favor of the Veteran on his claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding it at least as likely as not related to military service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was denied because the January 1989 rating decision denying his claim considered all available evidence and applied the correct legal standards, and there is no CUE found.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to address his claims of service connection for various conditions, including a left shoulder condition, right and left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and GERD. The VA will need to obtain updated treatment records, arrange for appropriate examinations, and provide an opinion regarding the relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a 10 percent evaluation, the maximum authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260. The disability does not present an exceptional picture so as to warrant referral for extra-schedular consideration.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have been evaluated according to the applicable rating criteria. The RO has assigned appropriate disability ratings for his bladder dysfunction, resection of axilla and neck lymph nodes, abdomen scars, lung dysfunction, vision changes, Burkitt's lymphoma, and tinnitus. No higher evaluations are warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and service connection for tinnitus, finding that his hearing loss was at most level III in both ears, which corresponds to a zero percent evaluation. The Board also found no evidence of tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his time in active duty. The VA examinations conducted have supported this conclusion.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no evidence of a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his current conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board grants his claim for a TDIU.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and providing a new VA audiological examination. The Appellant's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are pending.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inextricably intertwined issue regarding the effective date of service connection for PTSD, which may affect the DIC rate determination. The appellant's claim will be further considered after establishing the appropriate effective date.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The Board considered the Veteran's lay statements regarding a grenade explosion during basic training but concluded that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a finding of nexus between the disabilities and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sarcoidosis, diverticulosis, and plantar fascial and heel pain have been denied. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of his prothrombine gene mutation with factor V leiden mutation and an audiological examination to determine the presence, severity, and etiology of his claimed tinnitus.